Stalling troubleshooting

[1986F150Six]

Still sounds like it could be a vacuum leak. You may be a good candidate for the smoke test. Read here: http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Vacuum-leak-detection-effective-and-inexpensive-td11511.html. That will usually find vacuum leaks that you might not find another way.

This is awesome.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=mtcKEBHN&id=93E2C3EF878EA7098AE7934CD9A4CBED7D980CCB&thid=OIP.mtcKEBHNmfDdWI06LMY-bAHaIY&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR9ad70a1011cd99f0dd588d3a2cc63e6c%3frik%3dywyYfe3LpNlMkw%26riu%3dhttp%253a%252f%252f2.bp.blogspot.com%252f-nuzgAQh-eBw%252fVdOIgseICSI%252fAAAAAAAAQqU%252fsKyWK2sH6Z0%252fs1600%252fcigar-smiley.png%26ehk%3daK6j%252fbF%252bNZ%252bd%252f%252f8l8djyLHLewL9fyvvm12cftmcYZGE%253d%26risl%3d%26pid%3dImgRaw&exph=600&expw=530&q=smoking+cigar+emoji&simid=608003001331879631&ck=2AF8480775B32A2DE19BD912CAB485BD&selectedIndex=0&FORM=IRPRST&idpp=overlayview&ajaxhist=0

[Gary Lewis]

Still sounds like it could be a vacuum leak. You may be a good candidate for the smoke test. Read here: http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Vacuum-leak-detection-effective-and-inexpensive-td11511.html. That will usually find vacuum leaks that you might not find another way.

This is awesome.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=mtcKEBHN&id=93E2C3EF878EA7098AE7934CD9A4CBED7D980CCB&thid=OIP.mtcKEBHNmfDdWI06LMY-bAHaIY&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR9ad70a1011cd99f0dd588d3a2cc63e6c%3frik%3dywyYfe3LpNlMkw%26riu%3dhttp%253a%252f%252f2.bp.blogspot.com%252f-nuzgAQh-eBw%252fVdOIgseICSI%252fAAAAAAAAQqU%252fsKyWK2sH6Z0%252fs1600%252fcigar-smiley.png%26ehk%3daK6j%252fbF%252bNZ%252bd%252f%252f8l8djyLHLewL9fyvvm12cftmcYZGE%253d%26risl%3d%26pid%3dImgRaw&exph=600&expw=530&q=smoking+cigar+emoji&simid=608003001331879631&ck=2AF8480775B32A2DE19BD912CAB485BD&selectedIndex=0&FORM=IRPRST&idpp=overlayview&ajaxhist=0

This?

[1986F150Six]

This?

Yes, thanks!

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, thanks!

Fixed it.

[red1980F150]

Fixed it.

Alright, didn't have a chance to do much during the week.

I changed the PCV valve on Sunday and temporarily took out the clogged crankcase filter for the return gas. During the week the truck stopped bogging as much as stops and would actually stay running. Still doesn't seem quite normal but it's not that bad.

Popped in a new fuel filter this morning (they're cheap and the old one looked to be very old) and a new crankcase filter. Took me 747 million years to get it started because I flooded the engine by accident, bottle feeding, and didn't get the new filter primed (is it possible to get your finger in the carb and lift up the float? How do you guys get the pump to run?). These changes made no real difference, as expected.

I sprayed carb cleaner around the base of the carb and couldn't get any RPM increase, so I may move to a smoke test. In the meantime, I'm probably going to do a compression test as well... she's pumping blow by out of the valve cover cap at idle, with the cap on. I can upload a video even. So I'm thinking the engine may be a little hurt, though it still runs pretty well. In fact, I drove it all week and it seems to be getting better every day.

[Gary Lewis]

Alright, didn't have a chance to do much during the week.

I changed the PCV valve on Sunday and temporarily took out the clogged crankcase filter for the return gas. During the week the truck stopped bogging as much as stops and would actually stay running. Still doesn't seem quite normal but it's not that bad.

Popped in a new fuel filter this morning (they're cheap and the old one looked to be very old) and a new crankcase filter. Took me 747 million years to get it started because I flooded the engine by accident, bottle feeding, and didn't get the new filter primed (is it possible to get your finger in the carb and lift up the float? How do you guys get the pump to run?). These changes made no real difference, as expected.

I sprayed carb cleaner around the base of the carb and couldn't get any RPM increase, so I may move to a smoke test. In the meantime, I'm probably going to do a compression test as well... she's pumping blow by out of the valve cover cap at idle, with the cap on. I can upload a video even. So I'm thinking the engine may be a little hurt, though it still runs pretty well. In fact, I drove it all week and it seems to be getting better every day.

Not sure I understand. You asked how to get the pump to run, but isn't it a mechanical pump? I didn't think the electric pumps were used in 1980. What am I missing?

If it is running better each day then maybe you just need to drive it more? Change the oil and maybe it'll clean up?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Alright, didn't have a chance to do much during the week.

I changed the PCV valve on Sunday and temporarily took out the clogged crankcase filter for the return gas. During the week the truck stopped bogging as much as stops and would actually stay running. Still doesn't seem quite normal but it's not that bad.

Popped in a new fuel filter this morning (they're cheap and the old one looked to be very old) and a new crankcase filter. Took me 747 million years to get it started because I flooded the engine by accident, bottle feeding, and didn't get the new filter primed (is it possible to get your finger in the carb and lift up the float? How do you guys get the pump to run?). These changes made no real difference, as expected.

I sprayed carb cleaner around the base of the carb and couldn't get any RPM increase, so I may move to a smoke test. In the meantime, I'm probably going to do a compression test as well... she's pumping blow by out of the valve cover cap at idle, with the cap on. I can upload a video even. So I'm thinking the engine may be a little hurt, though it still runs pretty well. In fact, I drove it all week and it seems to be getting better every day.

You can host a video on YouTube, or somewhere else and imbued it here but you can't upload a video to the forum.

I imagine the rings are loosening up and starting to seal.

A little ATF or Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders can help get deposits free.

You really need a leakdown test to determine how much is getting by the rings.

All you have to do is fill the bowl(s) to get the truck to run.

I use an irrigation syringe to fill through the vent tubes sticking up out of the edge of the carb neck.

If you have a mechanical pump like me that should be enough to get the system primed and running.

[red1980F150]

Not sure I understand. You asked how to get the pump to run, but isn't it a mechanical pump? I didn't think the electric pumps were used in 1980. What am I missing?

If it is running better each day then maybe you just need to drive it more? Change the oil and maybe it'll clean up?

Oh you're not missing anything, I am

Jim got me straightened out, after thinking about it I know exactly what I did wrong and I think he read between the lines and knew.

I think I will keep driving it more, probably all of this coming week too. I don't know how much she sat, but it would make sense if it was quite a lot. My old boss's wife bought it new in 1980 and she passed some time ago. He gave it to me because I told him I'd try to both use it and take care of it. Anyway, at his age I doubt either of them used it much in the past 5 or 10 years. The oil that came out of it when I picked it up in May looked really old and wasn't very viscous.

I'm starting to compile a larger and larger list of things I need/want to do to it. Do you guys think that list and progress updates with pictures would be a good thread for the forum?

In related news, I got my new shop manual in the mail today.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Oh you're not missing anything, I am

Jim got me straightened out, after thinking about it I know exactly what I did wrong and I think he read between the lines and knew.

I think I will keep driving it more, probably all of this coming week too. I don't know how much she sat, but it would make sense if it was quite a lot. My old boss's wife bought it new in 1980 and she passed some time ago. He gave it to me because I told him I'd try to both use it and take care of it. Anyway, at his age I doubt either of them used it much in the past 5 or 10 years. The oil that came out of it when I picked it up in May looked really old and wasn't very viscous.

I'm starting to compile a larger and larger list of things I need/want to do to it. Do you guys think that list and progress updates with pictures would be a good thread for the forum?

In related news, I got my new shop manual in the mail today.

John,

Pics and progress is always a good thing.

If you've found the oil is thin you should make sure the fuel pump diaphragm is not leaking into the crankcase!

This isn't uncommon and will cause your symptoms.

If you see that the oil level is rising, you'll know for sure what the problem is.

Gasoline is a poor lubricant.

[Gary Lewis]

John,

Pics and progress is always a good thing.

If you've found the oil is thin you should make sure the fuel pump diaphragm is not leaking into the crankcase!

This isn't uncommon and will cause your symptoms.

If you see that the oil level is rising, you'll know for sure what the problem is.

Gasoline is a poor lubricant.

Yes, make sure you check the oil for gas in it. Smell the oil. And, as Jim said, if the level goes up you have a problem!

The best thing you can do for the engine is to keep clean oil in it and drive it. Some advocate using kerosene or ATF as the last quart in an oil change, but I wouldn't recommend that. One of our guys, David/1986F150Six, had the sludge come free in his engine and it plugged up the oil pickup in the pan and he lost oil pressure. That wasn't from using kerosene or ATF, but it was a sludged up engine and it all came free suddenly.

So you want it to come free over time and be caught by the filter. Use a good quality oil and filter and take long drives to get everything good and warm. And then change the oil as it starts looking dirty.